Cairo: French President Francois Hollande urged Monday that everything be done to maintain a truce in Syria, expressing fears for civilians if the negotiations end.

Francois Hollande. AFP

Hollande's remarks, during a visit to Egypt, came as the Syrian opposition asked the United Nations to pause peace talks in Geneva until President Bashar al-Assad's regime shows it is serious about a political transition.

"We must do everything to maintain the truce" in Syria, Hollande said in a speech at the French embassy.

"If negotiations do not resume, if fighting does, there would again be the worst fears for civilians (and) consequences in terms of refugees," he said.